Within the past week A Common Kitchen has gained a lot of new traffic. The first thing I do every morning is fire up my laptop and check the analytics of the blog. Each morning I have been stunned, truly. I'm so happy with how much the blog has grown since I started it less than a year ago. I have been working extremely hard every week, posting weekly recipes and keeping up with my social media accounts (which I am notoriously bad at doing). So for all of you new visitors, welcome!

I love waking up early. I get off work quite late (10:30-ish) so a lot of the time it's extremely hard to get up before 7 am. I don't know why but I love being awake in the early hours of the day, between 5-8 am. I love making that first cup of coffee and sipping on it while I read a book. I love watching the sunrise come over the Utah mountains. I love watching all of the little ducks swim in the lake that is just in front of our kitchen window. We have quite the view even though we live in a large apartment complex. Someday when we buy a house, I would like it to be in the woods and on a lake. It has a certain serenity about it that I can't explain, but I hope that it will be something I can wake up to every morning.

It's true that I have a much more productive day when I get up earlier. I have a burst of energy and I get so much done the first couple hours, freeing up my time later in the day which is usually spent with Jacob. I love mornings and my nights are also more enjoyable when I wake early. Jake and I always have dinner together and then watch an episode or two of something, usually King of Queens or Seinfeld. Occasionally we go on walks or to the Farmer's Market, although Utah doesn't have very good ones in my opinion. We do go out and do things here and there but the truth is, we are home bodies. I feel most comfortable and happy when we are home together.

Since Jake and I both enjoy being at home, I always have ways to stay busy. This blog, of course, is my newest hobby. And instead of making a dessert, I decided I would make something different... a breakfast recipe... that somehow slightly resembles a dessert. *Face in palm*

I will admit that this is a pretty decadent breakfast. But it's meant to be made for special occasions, brunches, Sunday breakfasts, any day of the week really...

This Dutch Baby with Spiced Brown Butter Stone Fruit truly is delicious everyone. The pancake is light and fluffy and the stone fruit is simply divine. I love using browned butter because you get the a toasty/nutty buttery taste that pairs perfectly with stone fruit. I also chose to make a maple crème fraîche whipped topping to balance out the flavors since crème fraîche is a little tangy. This whole recipe blends perfectly together and is perfect to serve at your next brunch! I am certaine that you cannot go wrong with a Dutch Baby.

They key to getting a really puffy dutch baby is to put your cast iron skillet (or baking dish) in the oven while it preheats and then dump your prepared batter into the hot skillet. I don't know the science behind this method but it works. I have tried it both ways and preheating the skillet in the oven will ensure the puffiest dutch baby. Okay... I have typed 'dutch baby' way too many times now...

If you give this recipe a try please share your photos with me and let me know how it turned out. I would love to talk with everyone. Thanks for visiting the blog this week everyone! Xx

Cast Iron Skillet Dutch Baby with Spiced Brown Butter Stone Fruit

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the Dutch Baby

1 Cup Whole Milk

2 Eggs

3/4 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 Tablespoon White Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

4 Tablespoons Butter

For the Spiced Browned Butter Stone Fruit

1 Peach *see note, sliced into 1/4" slices

1 Nectarine, sliced into 1/4" slices

1 Plum, sliced into 1/4" slices

4 Tablespoons Butter

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom

1/2 Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped out

Pinch of Kosher Salt

For the Maple Crème Fraîche

1/2 Cup Crème Fraîche

2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

Extras

Powdered Sugar

Pure Maple Syrup

Fresh Lemon Juice

Directions:

For the Dutch Baby

Preheat the oven to 400ºf. In a 10" cast iron skillet, add the 4 tablespoons of butter and place the skillet in the oven while it preheats.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the milk, eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk vigorously until fully combined. You don't want ANY lumps in the batter. You can do this in a blender if you prefer.

Once the oven is preheated and the butter is all melted, carefully dump in all of the batter (it will start to sputter a little bit).

Bake the dutch baby for 15-20 minutes, until it is puffy and slightly golden brown around the edges. Prepare your spiced brown butter stone fruits and maple crème fraîche while it's in the oven.

For the Spiced Brown Butter Stone Fruits

In a medium-sized skillet add the butter and cook over medium heat until the butter has started to brown and smells nutty/toasty, this will take about five minutes. Here is a quick video on how to make brown butter if you don't know how to.

Add in the vanilla bean seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, and kosher salt. Mix to evenly combine. Add in the peaches, nectarines, and plums. Cook until the stone fruits are soft and can be easily cut with a fork, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

For the Maple Crème Fraîche

In a medium-sized bowl add the crème fraîche and maple syrup. Whip with a handheld electric mixer or a whisk until soft-medium stiff peaks form. Set aside

Assemble the Dutch Baby

Remove the dutch baby from the oven, being careful as it will be very hot.

Gently spoon the spiced brown butter stone fruits on top of the dutch baby. Drizzle on some of the extra browned butter from the pan.

Place a large scoop of the maple crème fraîche in the middle and dust generously with powdered sugar.

Enjoy immediately! The Dutch Baby will loose it's 'puff' the cooler it gets.

Notes:

*You can use any mix of stone fruits that would like. I chose to do a trio but you certainly can do all peaches, nectarines, or plums. You just need about 1-1 1/2 cups of sliced fruit.